 after US diplomatic intervention, Israeli media reported, saying she was detained during a family visit and briefly held under allegations that she violated Turkish law by serving in a foreign army.){kind=link}
Turkey released from custody a dual Turkish-Israeli citizen who had served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) after US diplomatic intervention, Israeli media reported, saying she was detained during a family visit and briefly held under allegations that she violated Turkish law by serving in a foreign army.
The reports by Israel’s Channel 12 News, Ynet and The Jerusalem Post, said the woman has both Israeli and Turkish citizenship and was visiting her parents in Turkey when she was taken into custody last week. She reportedly spent several hours in detention before being transferred to house arrest and was later allowed to leave the country.
Israeli media said the release followed behind-the-scenes contacts involving US officials and Israel’s Foreign Ministry, including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, after Israel requested help securing her release.
Turkish authorities did not immediately issue a public statement confirming the detention, the legal basis for it or the reported US role. As a result, key elements of the account, including the specific charge, are based on Israeli media descriptions rather than Turkish court documents or government statements.
The detention was reported amid a broader online campaign in Turkey that has targeted people serving in the Israeli military who have dual citizenship, with activists circulating names and photographs on social media and urging prosecutors to take action. The campaign gained momentum after the Israeli military released figures on the number of foreign nationals serving in its ranks by country.
According to the Israeli reports, activists posted that the woman was in İstanbul and called on law enforcement to detain her, describing her as a “Zionist soldier” and urging prosecutors to examine allegations linked to genocide and crimes against humanity.
The case as part of growing political and social tensions surrounding Israel’s actions in Gaza and the fallout across the region, including in Turkey.
The woman was reportedly detained under allegations related to Turkish restrictions on citizens serving in foreign armed forces, but they did not cite a statute number or provide court paperwork.
Israeli outlets said the woman returned to Israel after her release.